La Velle E. Neal III has covered baseball for the Star Tribune since 1998 (the post-Knoblauch era). Born and raised in Chicago, he grew up following the White Sox and hating the Cubs. He attended both the University of Illinois and Illinois-Chicago and began his baseball writing career at the Kansas City Star. He can be heard occasionally on KFAN radio, lending his great baseball mind to Paul Allen and other hosts. Mark Rosen borrows him occasionally for WCCO-TV.

Phil Miller covered three seasons of Twins baseball, but that was at a different ballpark for a different newspaper. Now Miller returns to the baseball beat after joining the Star Tribune as the Gopher football writer in 2010, and he won't miss the dingy dome for a minute. In addition to the Twins and Gophers, Miller covered the Utah Jazz and the NBA for six years at The Salt Lake Tribune.

Twins reinstate Capps; option Waldrop to Class AAA Rochester

The Twins have reinstated righthander Matt Capps from the 15-day disabled list. To make room for him, righthander Kyle Waldrop was optioned to Class AAA Rochester.

Capps, on the DL because of a sore shoulder, pitched scoreless innings on Monday and Wednesday for Class A Fort Myers and has been deemed ready for major league action. Capps, 1-4 with a 3.42 ERA and 14 saves, might be eased back into the closing role, making a couple of appearances earlier in games.

With Capps returning, there's enough time for him to pitch well and attract attention of clubs searching for relief help before the July 31 non-waiver trade deadline.

The Twins on Thursday also announced their rotation for the start of the post All-Star break scramble.

Friday, vs Oakland: LHP Francisco Liriano (3-7, 5.08)

Saturday vs Oakland: RHP Cole De Vries (2-1, 3.00)

Sunday vs Oakland: LHP Brian Duensing (1-5, 4.11)

Monday vs Baltimore: LHP Scott Diamond (7-3, 2.62)

Tuesday vs. Baltimore: RHP Samuel Deduno (0-0, 5.06)

Liriano, in the middle of a run of good form that has boosted his trade value, gets the ball first. De Vries will make his first start since an excellent outing on Sunday against Texas. Diamond, currently the Twins' best starter, gets 10 days between starts, as the Twins wanted to give him a break. Deduno gets another shot after making his Twins debut on Saturday.